Ever wished you could compare hospital services before deciding on one?

Well, today’s neat site, Hospital Compare, provides you with information on how well the hospitals in your area care for their adult patients with certain medical conditions. This information will help you compare the quality of care hospitals provide.

• Hospital Compare
• Other hospital and medical resources…

Hospital Compare was created through the efforts of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and organizations that represent hospitals, doctors, and employers, accrediting organizations, other Federal agencies and the public.

Have a site to recommend? Post it in the Comments below!

I’m sure you’ve heard of the latest identity theft scam - phishing. But what does it mean and how can we avoid it?

Well, phishing is “the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft” (Webopedia). Basically, phishing is another method of an identity theft scam.

You can avoid phishing scams by paying close attention to your e-mails and online surfing habits. Make sure to add spam filters to your e-mail, use different passwords for different sites, log out and close your browsers when you are finished and so on.

Below are a few good sites for fast tips on preventing and detecting phishing:

• The Fight Against Phishing: 44 Ways to Protect Yourself
• Anti-Phishing Working Group
• OnGuard Online - Phishing
• More identity theft prevention tips…

Getting married? Know someone who is? A few tips to make the wedding planning a little easier:

• Make Wedding Day Emergency Kits for the bride and groom. It’ll make that perfect day just a little bit more perfect.
• Look into Wedding Insurance…just in case!
• Thinking about changing your name(s)? Wait until AFTER the honeymoon because your name will need to match the name listed on your passport, airline tickets, IDs, travel vouchers, etc.
• More tips…

Once again, here’s our brilliant expert, Minneapolis Police Dept.’s Officer Ron Reier, with steps on preventing car break-ins:

• Car Break-in Prevention Tips.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More tips…

Check back each week for the latest podcast. Want to link directly to the podcast page? Click here and copy the URL.

Tell us what you think of the podcast. E-mail me or write your thoughts in the comments section below!

UPDATE: Can’t listen to the podcast? Read the full transcript…

Today’s site is definitely one to bookmark…just in case!

Docu-Damage is a great informational resource for those who have sustained damage from fires, tornadoes, floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters and are now negotiating their way through the insurance claims process.

I spoke with the creator of the site, Stephen Hadhazi, back in December. As a former insurance claims adjuster, he’s witnessed a lot of damage from natural disasters. His goal is similar to our goal: to help people through the tough times. To do that, he’s taken the top tips from his past experience and put it all on one great site.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are an estimated 15,500 fires, 10 deaths and 10 injuries due to clothes dryer fires each year. Several hundred people a year are also subjected to carbon monoxide poisoning from improper dryer vent setups. A few prevention tips…

• Lint filter: You should clean the lint filter after each load. Also, dryer sheets can cause a layer of film to form on the filter which can cause a fire. Prevent this by cleaning the filter every six months by removing the filter and scrubbing the filter with a toothbrush (or other brush) and hot soapy water.
• Interior/exterior: The dryer and its vent system should be periodically cleaned by a qualified service professional. Read the dryer’s instruction manual to see what is recommended.
• Clothes/items: Read the care labels carefully. Do not put flammable items inside the dryer.
• Follow the instructions: Read the warning labels and instruction manuals provided by the manufacturer. The manual should also have a customer service number for you to call should you have any questions.

Thankfully, I’m pretty healthy. But even when you’re healthy, you still have to visit the doctor…

So, here are a few tips to look over before you head to your next visit:

• Make sure to bring your insurance card and money for a copay - just in case
• Write down a list of questions or concerns you’d like to ask the doctor - I always seem to remember what I wanted to ask when I’m already out the office door!
• Also, keep track of your symptoms - describe them, when they started, what time of day and so on.
• Be clear and concise when talking with the doctor.
• More tips…

Head to Stories to read more tips or share your own!

Every Thursday, I’ll be posting the next podcast in our WhatHappensNow.com podcast series. Have a question you’d like to see answered? E-mail me or post your question in the comments!

The last podcast covered tips on preventing car theft…but what should you do if your car’s been stolen?! Minneapolis Police Dept.’s Officer Ron Reier has the answer:

• What to do if your car has been stolen.mp3 (click on the link to listen)
• More car theft recovery tips…

Check back each week for the latest podcast. Want to link directly to the podcast page? Click here and copy the URL.

Tell us what you think of the podcast. Write your thoughts in the comments section below!

UPDATE: Can’t listen to the podcast? Read the full transcript…

Every Wednesday, I’ll be posting a neat site that I think is really useful. Have a site to recommend? Post it in the comments section below!

Every parent deals with child care program concerns - whether it’s illness, safety, discipline or simply choosing the right type of care for their child.

Today’s site, Healthy Kids, Healthy Care, a health and child care website developed by the National Resource Center for Health and Child Care and Early Education, tackles all of those issues. It’s got plenty of great tips on background checks, caregiver qualifications, cleanliness, emotional health, illnesses, safety and more.

Know a parent who uses child care services? Pass on Healthy Kids to them!

It’s been a BIG year here for us at WhatHappensNow.com. We couldn’t have achieved all of this without your efforts and helpful tips! So here’s a little compilation article of the best of the best: 20 Great Tips to start 2007 off right.

You can also head to Stories to read what others are saying and share your own experiences.

Thanks for all the great advice! Keep it coming!!